Residential School Hearings Underway

Residential School Hearings Underway

Monday, September 18, 2006 at 14:43

A judge in Regina has begun listening to submissions today from lawyers regarding the new Indian Residential Schools settlement process.

Regina lawyer Tony Merchant, who represents thousands of victims across the country, was one of the first to speak this morning.

After a lengthy discourse Merchant and a federal lawyer, it was determined Merchant would be making a submission on behalf of his clients on Thursday — a day after the hearings were originally scheduled to conclude.

The hearings are needed to help propel the new $1.9-billion deal into law across the country.

The centrepiece of the package is a common experience payment that will be paid to each survivor, with the amount received based on the years each victim spent in a residential school.

So far, Quebec and Ontario have introduced the new settlement process into their court system.

Saskatchewan is next in line.